What is a Physical Change [Complete Detail]

Generally, many types of changes occur every day in our surroundings. These changes can be of different types, such as temporary change or permanent change, physical change or chemical change, etc. Here I’m going to discuss about physical change. This article is going to very informative. So, let’s begin...

What is a physical change in detail

The changes in which only physical properties of substance will change. Physical transformations don’t affect the internal structure of the material. The matter inside the substance remains the same even after the change.

There is no new substance formed after changes occur. But it can be changing the state of a substance, such as if the material is solid, then maybe it becomes liquid after the change. It is a reversible change means if you make anything by changing its physical state, it can be reversed again to make the same substance.

For example, you’ll ever see changing ice into water, and again water transforms into ice. This is the most straightforward example to understand this type of change. 

Characteristics of physical change

Many types of characteristics occur in physical change.When a physical change occurs in any substance, then something happens, which are the following below…

1. The change is temporary

Whenever we make ice from water, as soon as at room temperature, it again converts into water. This shows that this change was temporary.

2. The changes are reversible

As you saw in the ice water example, ice reverses back in the liquid state, i.e., water. If you mix salt with water, it can make salt from the salt solution by evaporating it. So, this shows that this was a reversible change.

3. No new substance is formed or no change in chemical state

For better understanding, let’s take an example.As you know, the formula of water is H2O, after conversion of it into ice formula remain the same and this show only behavior of substance changed not its new substance formed.

4. No change in mass, however, density maybe change

If you freeze 10 grams of water, then the mass of the ice will be the same. However, its density decreases therefore, ice floats in water. By the way, this shows us that there is no change in the mass of the substance.

What are 10 examples of physical changes?

There are lots of examples of physical change. But here, we’ll tell 10 important examples of physical change that occurs in our daily life. So, let’s get started….

1. Melting of sugar
2. Melting of ice
3. Mixing of salt with water
4. Freezing of water
5. Mixing sand with water
6. Boiling of water
7. Condensing of steam
8. Cutting of paper
9. Bending of wire
10. Breaking of a glass

How does a physical change differ from a chemical change

Here you’ll know what the difference between physical and chemical change is.

1. In a physical change color of a substance doesn’t change, whereas, in a chemical change, the color of the substance can be changed.
2. In a physical change, the shape and size of a material don’t change, whereas it can be changed in a chemical change.
3. Physical properties will only be affected in the physical change, whereas in chemical change, the whole substance change into a new substance.
4. Physical changes can quickly reverse, whereas we get to see only irreversible changes in the chemical change.
5. Less heat is released or absorbed in a physical change, but more heat is released or absorbed in the case of chemical change.

Hope you understand the difference between both types of changes.

Is evaporation a physical change?

Yes, evaporation is a physical change because the liquid converts into gas, and we know gas can be again transformed into a liquid by cooling. That is the physical change.

Finally, you would have known what is a physical change, its characteristics. I hope this article will be informative for you and if still, you have any queries, then ask in my comment section. I’m here to give your answer.